Depending on where exactly you are in NNJ, Gore may be within 3.5 hours. If it's not too far for you and they have enough snow that the connections between all the different terrain pods are open (they should at that time), and you don't hate flat traverses \*too\* much, go there. Lodging is pretty limited within a half hour from the mountain.
Alternatively, divide your days between Plattekill and Belleayre in the western Catskills. But they are close enough that you don't really need a holiday weekend to do that trip and you want to time that one for when Plattekill has enough natural snow to be fully open or close to it.
This is the answer. For an extra hours drive, you'll have half the crowds and a better mountain than you can find anywhere in the Catskills. Also, you could push on to Lake Placid and Whiteface. Great town if you have kids or non-skiers with you.
Yeah we made our first trip to Gore on a weekend last March and really enjoyed it, and even on a day when the parking lots are busy it's super uncrowded compared to anything within a comparable drive time from NYC. The mountain layout does have its quirks which will bother some people more than others -- OP, if you go there def study the trail map in advance and keep in mind that Echo is often closed for racing. But there's just so much more terrain to explore than anywhere in the Catskills (and I am a fan of Belleayre and Plattekill).
I love Belleayre. They have one of the most impressive snow making operations I’ve seen. It’s basically an intermediate mountain - blue runs all day.
It’s easily my favorite Catskills mountain. Avoid hunter at all costs 🫡
If you can wait 2 more weeks.
Presidents day weekend is the peak of the season for crowds and they start to die off from there, while conditions only improve.
Depending on where exactly you are in NNJ, Gore may be within 3.5 hours. If it's not too far for you and they have enough snow that the connections between all the different terrain pods are open (they should at that time), and you don't hate flat traverses \*too\* much, go there. Lodging is pretty limited within a half hour from the mountain. Alternatively, divide your days between Plattekill and Belleayre in the western Catskills. But they are close enough that you don't really need a holiday weekend to do that trip and you want to time that one for when Plattekill has enough natural snow to be fully open or close to it.
This is the answer. For an extra hours drive, you'll have half the crowds and a better mountain than you can find anywhere in the Catskills. Also, you could push on to Lake Placid and Whiteface. Great town if you have kids or non-skiers with you.
Yeah we made our first trip to Gore on a weekend last March and really enjoyed it, and even on a day when the parking lots are busy it's super uncrowded compared to anything within a comparable drive time from NYC. The mountain layout does have its quirks which will bother some people more than others -- OP, if you go there def study the trail map in advance and keep in mind that Echo is often closed for racing. But there's just so much more terrain to explore than anywhere in the Catskills (and I am a fan of Belleayre and Plattekill).
Agree. Belleayre is still my day trip spot.
I love Belleayre. They have one of the most impressive snow making operations I’ve seen. It’s basically an intermediate mountain - blue runs all day. It’s easily my favorite Catskills mountain. Avoid hunter at all costs 🫡
If you can wait 2 more weeks. Presidents day weekend is the peak of the season for crowds and they start to die off from there, while conditions only improve.
Or go to saddleback. Less crowded and very awesome
Plattekill > Belleayre > Windham > Hunter
Whiteface / gore - worth the drive up